Hintz Family Alumni Center
The Hintz Family Alumni Center on Penn State’s University Park campus is “home away from home” for all Penn State alumni. Located just a short walk from Old Main, the center includes meeting and reception rooms where alumni can relax among our collection of La Vie yearbooks and Penn State photos and memorabilia. The Alumni Gardens surrounding the center create an on-campus oasis not to be missed!
About the Hintz Family Alumni Center
Dedicated in 2001, The Hintz Family Alumni Center is is named after the family of Alumni Fellow and Distinguished Alumnus Edward R. Hintz, a 1959 graduate, who served as chairman of Penn State’s Grand Destiny campaign and president of Penn State’s Board of Trustees. Hintz’s wife, Helen, and daughter, Virginia, are also Penn State graduates. The stone house portion of the center, closest to The Mall, is the oldest building on campus. Previously known as University House, it served as the residence of Penn State presidents from 1864 to 1970.
Read on to see how University House evolved through the decades into the Hintz Family Alumni Center as we know it today.
The Evolution of University House
1860s
President’s House was completed in 1864 for president Evan Pugh and his new bride, Rebecca Valentine of Bellefonte, Pa. Unfortunately, Pugh died of typhoid fever at the age of 36, eight months before the house was completed. The orginial Italianate-style farmhouse would undergo several major renovations over the years.
1880s
Several porches were added to the house in the 1880s, including one that wrapped around Mrs. Atherton’s prized apple tree.
1890s
Around 1895 a third floor was added and the house was transformed into a fine example of Queen Anne-style architecture. President Edwin Sparks entertained frequently during his tenure (1908–1920). Sparks’ wife Katherine created a minor scandal when she ordered silver wallpaper for the presidential parlors at $10 per roll, an exorbitant price at the time.
1940s
The last major renovation to the President’s House occurred from 1939 to 1940, when the large portico and columns were added, giving the house the Southern plantation look popularized at the time by Gone With the Wind. Famous guests from the early part of the 20th century included industrialists Charles Schwab and Andrew Carnegie.
1950s
President Dwight Eisenhower visited several times in the 1950s when his brother, Milton, was Penn State president (1950–1956). During his presidency, Milton Eisenhower would leave the porch light on to indicate to students they were welcome.
1960s
President Eric Walker (1956–1970) was the last Penn State president to live in the President’s House. On April 20, 1970, student protestors stormed the grounds of the house voicing their opinions on the Vietnam War, minority enrollment on campus, and other political issues. University officials decided the president should live off campus and purchased a suitable home in nearby Boalsburg, Pa. President Walker and his family moved out when he retired in 1970.
2000s
Construction of the Hintz Family Alumni Center began with demolition of the kitchen and garage added in the 1940s. The addition of the large wing tripled the size of the existing house and provides office space and reception rooms for the Alumni Association.
Today
The Hintz Family Alumni Center was dedicated in 2001. The Alumni Gardens were completed in 2005 following a three-year construction process and officially dedicated in 2006, followed by the Alumni Walk in 2008. The gardens have become a beloved hangout spot for students and a primary destination for alumni when they visit Dear Old State. The gardens comprise five unique areas: the Obelisk Garden, the Rainbow Garden, the Secret Garden, the University House Terrace Garden, and the Water Garden, each featuring its own array of shrubs, trees, and flowers.
